{It's Real Life!}

I have always been so curious about this house.

via The New York Times

It looks like something out of a fairy tale so when I saw pictures I just assumed it was not real.  Well you know what they say about the word assume.....if you don't, look it up, this is a family blog.

Anyway, I googled "tiny shabby chic cottage" guess what the first thing that popped up was? An article on this beautiful house.....IT'S REAL!

Check out this link to see more pictures! What a cool unique way of living 

{marbella excitement}

I am getting SO stinkin' excited for our upcoming trip! Sad my hubby can't come (he's going to California to visit a long-time friend that lives there & this trip was booked long before we booked ours) but excited for more WORLDLY travels! My family is the best and SO fun to hang out with.  I'll have so many stamps on my passport!!

We are visiting Gibraltar (Britain) while we're there and travelling to/staying in Morocco (Africa) for a couple days and nights as well as Spain obviously for most of the trip.  Marbella-if you didn't know- is a beach town in the south of Spain.  We are staying at the Hotel Gran Melia don Pepe and it's right on the beach.  In Morocco, we are staying at La Tangerina, overlooking the water.

I wanted to show some pictures that made me just giddy with excitement!

Rooftop view from the hotel we're staying at in Tangier, Morocco. Can you say BREATHTAKING?!

Outside of La Tangerina {our hotel in Morocco}

Our hotel in Marbella for a week

Marbella

Marbella

Marbella

I just can't wait! I'll be sure to let you guys know if it's really as beautiful as it looks in photographs.

ADIOS!

{Before & After Coolness}

Hey! Roll your mouse over the pictures above....isn't that pretty sweet? From now on I'm going to be taking pics from the same angle {these examples weren't the greatest} just so I can use this. Expect more where this came from!

Oh! I almost forgot to mention side note about my glorious new {ish} rug.  Remember the rug a couple of posts back? Yep, the beautiful one with the trellis pattern on it....

Well, Frank (we're on a first name basis) from the Lowe's in Liberty called me back a week after I posted that.  He found the 3 rugs his inventory said he had but he couldn't find at the time.  He called me on my way to the lake and I was sort of taken off guard...like "who are you??" "Frank, who?" "what rug?" He said it was even further on sale now. 

Try $17 dollars on sale!

I called Frank back and told him to charge me over the phone for one more for our deck when we have people over we'll just roll it on out! Hubby was so sweet to go pick it up for me (he loves me) Such a great deal, if you wanted one I'm just certain they're sold out at that price! Favorite purchase ever? Possibly.............

{Painting the Kitch}

Hello, Hello!

I am progressing on the kitchen!! Woohoo!  I was off of work yesterday and the day before, and completed almost{touchup in some place is necessary} all of it {with the help of my loving, caring, handsome, sweet husband who mainly encouraged me, he wanted no part in painting}. He just loves my constant home improvement ideas....doesn't he?

Monday while waiting for the primer to dry, I began staring at my chalkboard, the red just does not go with the grey anymore.  I began taping the chalkboard with my trusty Frog tape. My husband walked into the room and said {and I quote} "Oh Lord, now she's painting everything...." I think he loves my beautiful decorating mind.  If nothing else it gives him something to laugh about.  You probably remember the before of this one....It was obviously around Christmas.

and the BEFORE-before....

Well, I painted that baby white {Behr Ultra Bright White left over from the guest bedroom/future nursery} and I love the contrast of the white and griege {grey-beige} on the walls. Those little snowmen on the BEFORE-before have been through a lot of changes this year.

Oh Yes, this is a sneak peak at the new color in our kitchen.  Glidden Wood Smoke. Don't you love it?

Cute chalkboard.  So happy to be rid of the dark red! The sunshine comes pouring in!!

I may paint a trellis pattern on it or I may leave it be. Most likely the latter but we will see.

Now I'm really struggling with the question of dark or light cabinets?...Light cabinets would REALLY lighten it up in here, but we both like the look of dark cabinets with the rest of our house...We are planning on refinishing the cabinets in the near future, but don't want to get overwhelmed, you see.

BYE!

{I Love Wood}

That's what she said...OK, Mike laughed about this post title. Whatever I do. Love wood. But this particular piece of wood, I realllllly love. I found it. On the street, and I thought it was SO cool looking, so I risked my life to pick it up. I made it out alive and look at the end result! But first, here's the BEFORE! Just a random piece of wood.

We've got a piece of wood just laying on our coffee table...My hubby just loves my arts and crafts.

And the cute after...

I love bringing the outdoors in....I got my inspiration for this mini project (and by mini, I mean it literally took me tha-ree minutes - start to finish) from my new favorite website Pintrest.  This was the inspiration photo.  I did a mini-version, but I still think it's cute and very natural looking.  My mother came over while I was making it and thought it was so cute! I just love my mama...

P.S. Can you really believe how this Casey Anthony case has turned out?  Me either, sad for her sweet little daughter...

Bye, Folks!

Linking up here:

{an exciting arrival}

Hello, Hello!

Guess what showed up on my front porch today...? My Glidden Wood Smoke, two quarts of this fabulous paint! I *think* I'm going to have to get more, but I may not. If I just use a primer, it may be enough for the kitch!



I was so very excited that it arrived, but I'm going to have to wait for another weekend to paint. My family and I are headed to the lake this weekend after a friends wedding on Friday night. There (in my opinion) is not better place to be than the lake for the 4th of July. It just makes me SO happy!! We're going to enjoy some smoked meat, some wonderful much needed family time, and of course the annual fireworks that they do the cove over from our place and about 200 boats are just floating in the water right in front of us.  It's amazing!

I'm going to be spending exactly 3 days in this little number (or something along these lines)...


and enjoying some of this tremendous view from our place...







4th of July LAST year, lake

Mike and I's lake trip summer 2010

I hope you all have a safe and fun 4th of July! USA!

Until next time!

{I Bet You Didn't Know...}

Welcome back and Happy Friday!! Since I'm headed to the lake this weekend for a long weekend (Sat., Sun., & Mon. And yes (!!!) I get to do it again in 2 weeks but then it'll be a 4 day weekend) where there is absolutely NO time for phones or technology, I figured I'd give you my latest blog post now...

In case you didn't know, I have a Pintrest app on my phone.  When I'm bored, I like to browse through and look at the gorgeous photos. A couple of my 'pins' on Pintrest consist of some great ideas that I would have never thought of! I wanted to pass along a few of these tips I've discovered on there to you guys! Ya know, just to make your life a little simpler.

First off a few tips for the bed/sheet situation. (You can click on the photo button under each picture to follow the link & get more information on the topic)

1. Do you know how to fold a fitted sheet? Perfectly? I do! I would post pictures of my sweet linen closet, but you've already seen it! Just picture it with some perfectly folded sheets.



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2. This is a must-read tutorial on how to make your bed.  And you thought you knew how...A well-made bed just makes me smile. Love



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3. How to get grease stains out of your clothes. Chalk as a pre-treat. Brilliant!

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4. Aloe vera ice cubes? Perfect for those summer sunburns.  We try our darnest to wear sunscreen upon sunscreen but the lake always seems to brew up those sunburns!

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5. This is on my list.  If you know anything about us, then you know we loooooove our pancakes.  This would make pancakes AND waffle making so much easier!

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 6. Hang all your cleaning bottles from a tension rod! I love this idea, that way you can get little baskets to organize underneath the sink.

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7. A tab from a soda can as a picture frame/ DIY art hanger.

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and my last one...

8.  What a great solution for a stripped screw, just put a rubber band underneath.  We have no shortage of rubber bands at our house.  My husband has worn at least one on his wrist since I have known him.  I'm trying to shake him of this habit, but it seems there's no end in sight.

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I hope you will use some of these tips! I think they're all wonderful! Stay tuned for some more Pintrest posts.